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Mayor Rob Ford is now facing the fight of his life with a rare form of cancer.

Dr. Zane Cohen — the head of Ford’s clinical care team — revealed the grim diagnosis of pleomorphic liposarcoma on Wednesday at Mount Sinai hospital.

The cancer news came just days after Ford bowed out of the mayor’s race and less than three months after he returned from rehab for alcohol and drugs, vowing to turn his life around.

With Ford’s permission, Cohen confirmed that the 12-centimetre by 12-centimetre abdominal tumour discovered last week is a malignant liposarcoma. Doctors have also found a small nodule that is part of the same tumour on his buttock behind his left hip.

“We think it is a fairly aggressive tumour mainly because these types of tumours are often slow-growing, to get to the size that it is now it is often several years,” Cohen told reporters. “But we are treating this very aggressively in order to eradicate the tumour.”

There was no sign of the tumour in 2011 when Ford underwent some medical tests, he added.

Cohen said the soft-tissue cancer is not within an organ and described it as a “very rare tumour” and “very difficult.”

However, the doctor said he was optimistic, stressing “we have experts sitting in-house that treat, manage and research on sarcoma.”

Ford is expected to start to undergo three days of chemotherapy in hospital in the next 48 hours. After 18 days, the chemotherapy cycle will be repeated and doctors will assess the response and next steps.

“There may or may not be radiation involved,” Cohen said. “There may or there may not be surgery involved.

“After the two cycles, we will be re-imaging and re-assessing.”

Pain that Ford is experiencing from the tumour is “likely due to necrotic tissue,” he said.

“The size of it now has outstripped its blood supply so he has what’s called necrotic tissue in the middle of the tumour mass,” Cohen said.

It’s “impossible” to predict how the chemotherapy will impact Ford, Cohen said.

“He’s going to have some tough days,” he added. “But I think he’ll have more good days than bad days.”

The sudden health scare prompted Ford to drop out of the mayor’s race last Friday just before the deadline to stay on or off the ballot.

Ford is still running for city council in his old ward — Etobicoke North (Ward 2). His brother, Councillor Doug Ford, stepped up to replace him in he mayoral race.

Doug Ford called it a “tough day” when he arrived at hospital on Wednesday.

In a statement after Cohen’s press conference, Doug Ford said the diagnosis has been “devastating” to the mayor and the Ford family.

“He is an incredible person, husband, father, brother and son and he remains upbeat and determined to fight this,” Doug Ford stated.

“Rob has always been so strong for all of us and now I ask us all to be strong for him.”

He went on to thank people for their “kind words and well wishes.”

“Rob will beat this,” he said. “On behalf of Rob, his wife, Renata, their children, and the entire Ford family, thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers.”

Rob Ford’s wife, his mother, Diane, and his other brother, Randy, were also at the hospital on Wednesday.

“We have a lot of faith in the doctors and we have a lot of faith in God,” Renata Ford told reporters on her way to see her husband.

The update on Ford’s health crisis resulted in the postponing of Wednesday night’s mayoral candidates’ debate out of respect to the mayor and his family.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened” to learn Ford had been diagnosed with cancer.

“The thoughts and prayers of all Canadians are with Mr. Ford and his family at this difficult time,” Harper stated.

Mayor Ford’s former mayoral rivals wished him well in his cancer fight and lauded him as a “fighter.”

“I hope he can win this battle against cancer,” said mayoral candidate Olivia Chow.

John Tory said he knows Ford will “take this on.”

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly issued a statement extending his thoughts and prayers to the Ford family.

“Through this difficult time, I know that the Ford family will come together and support Rob during his treatment,” Kelly stated. “Those who know Rob, know that he never backs down from a tough fight. Like every challenge he takes on, I know he will fight until he wins.

Councillor Karen Stintz tweeted her support for Ford.

“Rob Ford is a fighter and I am confident he will fight the disease and get better for his kids,” Stintz wrote.